Check out the MODIS/Aqua image from 4/19. The wide shot shows the position of Shell’s Mars and Ursa platforms, south of the Mississippi Delta, while the close up shows what appears to be a slick of at least 5.5 miles that seems to originate from the location of the Mars platform. Wind was blowing from the north-northwest when this image was taken. There were no NRC pollution reports (red dots on the image below) on 4/19 for the Mars platform, for Shell or for Mississippi Canyon 763 where the Mars platform is located.

We’ve been keeping an eye on these two platforms since we reported last week on Shell’s report of a 10-mile long slick between the Mars and Ursa platforms. It’s unclear if slicks in this area are from human-caused leaks and spills or natural oil seeps that are known to be in the vicinity.